Hoping we play offensive starters to the 1/2 at least each preseason game.

"Rickysabeast wrote:

Lets face it, injuries aren't as concerning as beginning the year with an anemic offense. I'm hoping we play them much further into each pre-season game to get them improved. Don't need to worry about who we cut to get to 53 if we're going into the season stinking. Lots of TC left to go but times running out. First games in about a month.

That'll be nice but that may not happen. Let's hope it does so they can get into a rhythm.

Won't happen. I'll be there Friday and I doubt the starters play more than two series. It's universal now to have the starters play a series or two in the 1st game, a quarter in the 2nd, a half in the 3rd, and not at all in the 4th. You have to protect your players in these games. They'll get their work in though.

Coaches tend to observe a set schedule when it comes to starters playing in preseason games.

Guys like Cam Wake, Arian Foster and Ndamukong Suh...you may be able to count their total preseason snaps on two hands. Maybe toss Mario Williams and Reshad Jones into that. They may even limit Kiko Alonso and Byron Maxwell because they're becoming so important to the defense.

Branden Albert will be asked to play as will Mike Pouncey but only because they need to try and develop cohesiveness there. Tannehill will play because they're still trying to work out the offense. Overall the starters on offense will probably get more work than the majority of starters on defense.

But the rule of thumb for game by game participation is:

First game: One-and-one (one drive if the drive goes well, two drives if the first one doesn't)
Second game: First quarter-plus (entire quarter plus perhaps one drive into the next quarter)
Third game: First half-plus (entire half plus an "adjustment" drive, testing out ability to put halftime adjustments onto the field)
Fourth game: One snap? (different teams approach the final game differently, sometimes just a few snaps, sometimes one drive, depends what got done in previous games)

They likely won't be running plays used in the regular season anyway. I'm with you, though. Probably a concern for every team.

I see absolutely no reason why Foster should touch the field on the first preseason game. I would give him two series in the 3rd preseason game, and that is it. We cannot afford to lose him in the preseason. The risk vs. reward of playing him is crazy.

The Dolphins listed Jay Ajayi as their starting running back on this week’s initial depth chart, something that could change if Arian Foster shows he’s a better option at tailback. Foster’s attempt to leapfrog Ajayi won’t include any action in Friday’s preseason opener against the Giants. Coach Adam Gase explained on Wednesday that Foster wasn’t going to play much if he was active and that he prefers to wait for another time for Foster’s first game action since last year’s torn Achilles.
“That’s strictly my decision,” Gase said, via the Palm Beach Post. “I have a certain way I treat running backs that haven’t played for a while. I don’t like them taking any unnecessary hits in games where it might only be a couple of snaps for him.”
Rookie Kenyan Drake, who tweaked his hamstring last Friday, didn’t practice on Wednesday, so he may be joining Foster on the sideline when the Dolphins face the Giants.

"tirty8 wrote:

I see absolutely no reason why Foster should touch the field on the first preseason game. I would give him two series in the 3rd preseason game, and that is it. We cannot afford to lose him in the preseason. The risk vs. reward of playing him is crazy.

I hate to agree, but I do. He is a vet that knows what he is doing. I like your strategy, and will take one further, let's save Parker too.

FYI - Gase just announced that Foster will not be playing in first preseason game.

I expect typical preaseason the first two weeks. Really ugly and sloppy football being played no matter what game you watch. You have to be realistic with your expectations at this point.

Heard. I know well the typical progression. However, the point is to improve the team that'll be playing the regular season games. As such, sounds like our starting 11 at offense needs more playing time together. I hope we use the opportunity to have them together longer on the field. It's the only real benefit of the pre-season games. I don't want to see players get hurt but I'd rather risk that then stinking up the joint again in regular season.

"ckparrothead wrote:

Coaches tend to observe a set schedule when it comes to starters playing in preseason games.

Guys like Cam Wake, Arian Foster and Ndamukong Suh...you may be able to count their total preseason snaps on two hands. Maybe toss Mario Williams and Reshad Jones into that. They may even limit Kiko Alonso and Byron Maxwell because they're becoming so important to the defense.

Branden Albert will be asked to play as will Mike Pouncey but only because they need to try and develop cohesiveness there. Tannehill will play because they're still trying to work out the offense. Overall the starters on offense will probably get more work than the majority of starters on defense.

But the rule of thumb for game by game participation is:

First game: One-and-one (one drive if the drive goes well, two drives if the first one doesn't)
Second game: First quarter-plus (entire quarter plus perhaps one drive into the next quarter)
Third game: First half-plus (entire half plus an "adjustment" drive, testing out ability to put halftime adjustments onto the field)
Fourth game: One snap? (different teams approach the final game differently, sometimes just a few snaps, sometimes one drive, depends what got done in previous games)

Thanks CK. Yeah I get it. I really don't think there's any benefit to the first or fourth game based upon how meaningless it is to the the starters. Makes us wait longer for football that matters and really doesn't do much to improve the team besides a few final decisions on some backups. Why are there 4 games instead of three or 2? I won't go into my diatribe on how there should be more regular season games (at least pull one preseason game and add one regular season).

"Rickysabeast wrote:

Thanks CK. Yeah I get it. I really don't think there's any benefit to the first or fourth game based upon how meaningless it is to the the starters. Makes us wait longer for football that matters and really doesn't do much to improve the team besides a few final decisions on some backups. Why are there 4 games instead of three or 2? I won't go into my diatribe on how there should be more regular season games (at least pull one preseason game and add one regular season).

I think the first game is beneficial. It gives some much needed game experience to players who generally do not get any and giving them a chance to shine in a game situation.

The fourth game's only benefit is it gives some players one last chance to impress another team.

"Dol-Fan Dupree wrote:

I think the first game is beneficial. It gives some much needed game experience to players who generally do not get any and giving them a chance to shine in a game situation.

The fourth game's only benefit is it gives some players one last chance to impress another team.

that is one reason i really like them, gives me a chance to study the young guys and see who catches my eyes.